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Continuing the momentum from last year, Steve and Tina Stroh are planning the second
annual Zero Retries Digital Conference
on October 16, 2026 in San Ramon, CA. ZRDC will be held in the same city, and on the
same day as the first day of Pacificon 2026. You can attend
two great conferences in a single trip.
Tina is putting together the speakers and presentations, I can't wait what she comes
up with.
Save the date, registration will be open soon, and they expect tickets to go quickly.
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There are many digital modes in amater radio. The ones popular on handheld
VHF/UHF radios include:
- D-Star
- DMR
- System Fusion
- NXDN
- P25
To use these modes you typically need two things:
- a handheld radio that supports the mode you want to use
- a nearby repeater or reflector that supports the mode you want to use
There are many options for handheld radios. These repeaters are usually
connected to the internet which enables communications with others around the
world using that same mode. If there isn't a repeater in your area that
offers the digital mode you want to use, you are out of luck. Unless you have a
hotspot.
A hotspot is a pocket sized low power repeater that connects to the internet
and can communicate with your handheld using various digital modes. You can buy
commercial devices, or build your own with a Raspberry Pi, radio boards, and
open source software.
The Hamspot 5 by Collin K0NNK is a new option
which gives you the flexibility and upgradability of your own Raspberry Pi based
solution, without you having to do all the tinkering to get something that
works.
This looks like a great device, with full duplex operation and a nice looking
case. Runs from USB-C power, and connects to the internet via Ethernet or Wi-Fi.
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A couple months ago Wojciech Kaczmarski SP5WWP
announced the LinHT project.
These mad lads buy a Retevis C62 radio and replace all the circuit boards inside with
their own. They aim to create an open-source hardware, Linux based, SDR handheld
transceiver. Their first boot of the OS happened on August 18.
Last week, Wojciech, Andreas OE3ANC, and Vlastimil OK5VAS hit a major milestone: the
radio now works as a complete M17 transceiver.
A few days later, Vlastimil submitted a PR
for the first iteration of Revision B of the circuit boards, which includes:
- a 5W amplifier
- new audio codec
- a redesigned power system which can charge from USB-C with simultaneous operation of the radio
Rev B is not yet ready for manufacturing, but I'll be following closely and can't wait to buy one.
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